Every day I read about how electric kit cars are coming–and soon! The New York Times says “a national electric car charging infrastructure” is in the works. “This consists of electricity charging spots with plug-in outlets all over the country.”

And Forbes magazine just had an article that said, “A future where drivers tell utility companies when and where to charge their electric vehicles and with what source of energy–wind, sun or coal, for instance–could be as close as two years away.”

But you don’t have to wait. You can actually start converting your gas-powered car into an electric-powered car today! This means your car will no longer use gas. You’ll install special batteries into your car and those alone will provide the power. It used to be very expensive to do such a conversion, but new electric car technology has made it easy and affordable for everyone.

How do you go about doing this? First you have to purchase an electric car conversion kit, or instruction manual. These are available on the internet for immediate download. They usually cost $35 – $50. Next you’ll need tools and parts. These manuals show you how to find free batteries and other parts. The total cost of the whole conversion could cost as little as $300 (not including the manual).

Then you follow the step-by-step directions. Your car should be able to go about 50 mph and travel 100 miles or so on a single charge. You “refuel” your new electric car by simply plugging it into an electric socket. Then you’re good to go for another 100 miles. You don’t ever have to pay for gas again! Plus, your car doesn’t emit any pollutant by-products, or create obnoxious noise.

The best part is, the state and federal government will actually pay you to drive an electric car. There are huge rebates available for electric kit cars. When you add everything together–the money saved on gas, the rebates–you really aren’t spending a dime for the conversion. In fact, you’re making money!

This is not only a fun project, but you’ll also learn all about renewable energy. Big batteries that can store electricity for transportation and wind and solar generation are the next big industry. These batteries are the key to clean-technology.

As the song goes, “the times they are-a-changing.” They sure are. As Detroit goes down the tubes, the writing on the wall is clear: the future is electric kit cars. It’s an awesome vision, and you can become part of it today!

When it comes to the rally world, Subaru and Mitsubishi are two names that won’t let themselves get ignored. And they weren’t not ignored, what they did is they grabbed the attention of many car enthusiasts. Their respective designs is not the one that dazzles them, it is the speed. STI by Subaru and EVO by Mitsubishi are the cars that named the tight competition between the two. With everything that is applied on this two, one would find it hard to determine which one is better. It will be very hard, even for experts, to know which one has the edge and which one will be left behind if ever they will meet on the road.

As many reviews said, you can’t declare STI as the winner if you haven’t drive the EVO and vice versa. The only thing that will distinguish one from the other is when one is drove by a professional and the other one is drove by a baby.

Some say that Mitsubishi’s EVO is the greatest. EVO has a steering ratio of 13.0:1 while the Subaru only has 15.2:1. As the numbers show, the previous one appears to be quicker. But the battle does not end there, there are more features that differentiate the two. If chassis is EVO’s best attribute, STI takes the credit when it comes to the drivetrain. The cars has more power and torque on tap and more aggressive gearbox. It is hard to find a drivetrain whose priority is to go quickly than any other road car, but STI has it. The car offers a power delivery with rally car handling. When you grind the pedal to the corner exits, the STI turns into a Subaru-powered Camaro. The transitions from understeer to oversteer rapidly with the active center diff doing much of the work in deciding where the power goes. But still, STI is less adjustable than the Mitsubishi’s EVO.

When it comes to driving, the responses in EVO is more natural, easier to control and more rewarding. On the other hand, STI is less receptive to mid-corner adjustments from the brakes or the throttle. Braking is awarded to EVO. Since STI is producing an inconsistent pedal feel, it is disheartening to step on it. EVO’s braking system provides a relentless stopping power, slowing it time and time again to match the cornering speed.

On the engine, it looks like STI has it. With a 295bhp 2.5 litre turbocharged flat four cylinder engine, it will surely left behind EVO’s 2.0 litre turbo with a power of 276bhp. Subaru appears to be the stronger performer because of its more low-down punch and a wave of power all the way up to 8,000rpm red line.

Even though their advantages were mentioned, it is still not clear which one is superior. Power, precision, sharpness and acceleration makes the judgment seismic. We can choose the STI for now, but it can be the EVO in few weeks or months, and the cycle will go on. Because until now, both manufacturers keep on developing their own cars to get the supremacy in rally cars. And this benefits us largely. Their competition is our gain.

It’s always been a concern that the average gasoline-powered vehicle is a serious detriment to the environment. The big cars make a lot of noise on the roads, and fuel emissions are supposedly horrible for our ozone layer. What can a person to do to make the environment better for all of us? He or she may want to purchase a hybrid car. The hybrid car, the next wave of the future, is known for its more positive impact on the environment. The impact of hybrid cars on the environment is explained below.

Worried about all noise on the roads? The conventional automotive cars generally are responsible for a lot of noise emissions because of the sounds of their motors. However, because a hybrid car uses an electrical motor, its noise emissions are greatly reduced when compared to fuel-powered cars. At low speeds, the noise emissions of hybrid cars are optimal for the public.

However, if the public has a disability, there may be a problem.

Low noise emissions can be a problem because the blind or visually impaired depend on the loud noises vehicles make while running or idle. Without that noise, the visually impaired find it very difficult to cross the street safely. Therefore, this group of people is negatively impacted by the reduced noise emissions of the hybrid car. However, noise emissions are not the only change hybrid cars bring to the environment.

Hybrid cars help reduce the amount of smog that is in the air. Therefore, the general respiratory health of the public benefits from the use of hybrid cars.

So if you are looking for cleaner air, and more peace and quiet when you go outside, you may be hoping that people start purchasing hybrid cars. The only problem is that hybrid cars come at an expensive price. They cost much more than petroleum-fueled cars.

The cost of hybrid cars is higher because of extra batteries, extra electronics, and sometimes, other considerations related to design. However, there can be trade offs.

Some people think hybrid cars may be able to pay for themselves because of the savings in gas. However, that is very debatable. It depends on the number of miles traveled, the cost of fuel, and sometimes subsidies from the government.

In April of 2006, Consumer Magazine said in one of its articles that hybrid cars would not pay for themselves in 5 years. However, there was a mathematical error in that article. When the error was corrected, it was shown that the hybrid car could pay for itself in a little less than five years.

However, how much money a hybrid car will actually save a person is still a controversial issue. Some say, the savings are big. Some say they are small. In any case, the actual savings seem difficult to predict and affected by various factors.

In countries that are trying to lessen pollution and contamination, it may cost more to own any vehicle other than a hybrid car. Therefore, if you are living in another county with a pollution problem, a hybrid car may be the best choice for you.

If you are looking to purchase a new vehicle, you may be trying to figure out what to do with your current automobile. Many people trade in their old cars to reduce the price of a newer car. While this is a good strategy, another thing you can do is donate your car to a charity. Believe it or not, there are a number of advantages this has over trading in a car towards the purchase of a new vehicle. When you buy a new car from a dealer, you will find that most of them will try to talk you into trading in your old car. Once you do this, they will often turn around and sell your older car, especially if its in good condition.

However, this is not what usually happens. In most instances, the dealer will try to buy the car from you at a lower price than they expect to get when selling it at an auction. When you donate your car to a charity, not only will you be turning it in for a good cause, you may also get a deal which is better than what you would find from a dealership. Many people don’t realize that donating their car to a charity can allow them to get a tax deduction during tax season. Not only can you use it as a tax write off, you will often earn money that is significantly more than what you would get from most car dealers.

When most people hear about car donations, they are often discouraged because they feel that it will be a long process that will cost them a lot of money. Nothing can be further from the truth. In reality, donating your car to a charity can be just as quick as trading in your car through a dealer. Remember, the charity needs the car from you, and will make it convenient for you to turn it in to them. To donate your old car to a charity, the first thing you will need to do is contact charities in your area. They will be able to answer any questions you have about donating your car. Many of them will visit you at your home and pick up your car, saving you money on shipping.

Once you have donating the car to the charity, you will be mailed a receipt of the transaction. The receipt should tell you how much the car was sold for, and it may also tell you the price that you are given by the charity. Once tax season arrives, you will be able to get your reward for donating your car to the charity. By helping other people who may be less fortunate than you, you will feel good, and you will also be rewarding financially. Most people trade in their cars when they go out to purchase a new one. Only a small segment of the population uses car donation services. However, car donations services are a smart financial tool that can allow you to save a large amount of money on taxes over a long period of time.

The money that you save on taxes can be used for investments, vacations, or anything else you’re interested in. Before you trade in your existing car for a new one, be sure to look at the car donation services in your area.

Buying vast assets such as house or vehicle is one of the very crucial financial decisions that need enough consideration. Such consideration must also be applied in buying repossessed cars. This does not signify that because you cannot afford to buy a brand new car, you would not take serious decision making in buying repossessed car at some car auctions. You need to think over that repossessed car markets have own twist and turn that prospective buyers must be watchful of.

First and foremost, you need to realize that the repossessed car markets evolved from various factors. One of those common factors is that the original owners are financially provided by banks so they can purchase cars and in the long process, these owners can no longer maintain their financial obligations at the banks such default on their required monthly installments according to what has been transpired in the agreement. This leaves no choice for the lending organization but to take back those bank-financed vehicles and place them on the repossessed car markets to raise the remaining balance of those cars. The responsible organizations make these impounded vehicles for sale through public bidding, in which the highest bidder will get the auctioned cars.

To make your car purchase plan successful, you need to gather as much information as you can about any car auctions from all possible sources. Before expanding your car auction searches, you need to look for any local car auction within your area so to save time and efforts. Your local newspapers can be a good source of local car auction information as they are usually used in public bidding announcements. After collecting enough information about car auctions, the next step is to get in touch with the responsible authorities. It is advised to know if there are still cars available, particularly the one that you like most. When you confirm the car availability, you can now discuss with them any arrangements such as inspection and documents presentations.

The only thing you need to remember always is that repossessed car is not just a typical business where you can reconcile for anything. Since they are secondhand cars, you need to make the most of your time in finding the best one to avoid being remorseful at the end. You need to avoid making decision instantly and try not to agree with any blurred commitments to purchase. As said earlier, explore all the options in your hand before settling to buying repossessed cars.

I have to reveal up front that I own an older 3-series BMW, so I am quite aware of its abilities and drawbacks. And as many different types of cars that I drive, I am always happy to return to my baby. But when I got behind the wheel of the new 330i (Edmunds pricing at $39,184) I could tell that this machine was a sharp step up in performance within a quarter mile.

At my first ride in the driver?s seat, I couldn?t get over the ergonomics of the steering wheel. Every car has one, and I?ve handled a few unusual ones, but my grip has never felt more at home than with this 330i. (Unfortunately, it wasn?t a heated steering while like the 7-series, and it was quite cold outside.) Then BMW mates this steering wheel with very precise steering for a sedan-level car.

The German automobiles avoid the low-end torque that American makers? design, instead they offer a slower launch, but smoother, linear acceleration. And the silky 6-cylinder engine is particularly noticeable with a manual transmission in this car. BMW finally added a 6th gear for the stick shift, and I say it is overdue. My old one has 50,000 miles and the gearing still makes me look for 6th when I run up through the gears ? but sadly there are only 5 to be had. Since the 330i generates 255 horsepower, far more than I am used to for daily driving, I may have to upgrade my radar detector.

Yes, the car basics are spectacular ? engine, ride, steering (even the steering wheel), but the electronics controls are a comical disappointment. Anyone that has driven this car has a story about turning on the turn signals from one side to the other and back again, during a vain attempt to turn them off. I know people in the area gave me a wider berth, thinking I was a confused and lost driver. The turning signal lever doesn?t ?click? into place as the rest of the world has come to commonly expect turn signals to function. With the 330i, you tap the signal, such as for passing, and it automatically flashes three times and then turns off. But you can hold the lever a little longer, and you get your normal-action from the turn signal. But on a soft turn, where the signal doesn?t turn off, you have to flick it the other way to turn it off. But in the hurry of the moment, if it is more than a flick, then you just indicated from your signals that you are turning in the opposite direction. And this goes back & forth every once in a while until you get accustomed to it.

Other electronic oddities are the Navigation/Radio controls. There are many models of cars where you can intuitively muddle your way to what you want to get done. I couldn?t generate that kind of luck while I was driving. My passenger had to repeatedly go through the owners? manual that didn?t offer much guidance to get the map or radio station the way we wanted. And we didn?t even have the added i-drive option that so many customers complain about. I?m at a loss to explain the miss-timing of the automatic windshield wipers. I love that Jaguar has this feature down pat, but the 330i wipers were always going too fast or too slow; so kept having to manually adjust the automatic windshield wipers. An electronic improvement over the prior 3-series model is the traction control system. The old model would cut the power to the wheels in an obvious fashion, while this model is a seamless experience of artificially superior driving skill.

So while the driving experience is a quantum level improvement over the last generation change at BMW, their electronics package gives me some hesitation in buying one of these machines. In bumper to bumper traffic, the electronic gadgetry of the 330i becomes more annoying; and only on curvy roads without traffic or law enforcement can you experience the thrill of what this car can offer.

Most engines (and all Minis) use an electric spark to start the burning of the fuel/air mixture which in turn powers the car. If the engine is to run properly this ‘electric spark’ must happen at the exact right time. Setting your timing means that you adjust the time the plug fires relative to the position of the piston. Piston position is defined as follows: at the very top of the cylinder the piston is said to be at the TOP DEAD CENTER. At the bottom of its stroke it’s said to be at BOTTOM DEAD CENTER. The crankshaft is marked in 360 degrees. At top dead center, the crank is at 0 degrees. At bottom dead center the crank is at 180 degrees. Timing is measured in degrees and most often ‘before’ top dead center. ( BTDC degrees)

It is most often measured either with a timing light (which is a “stop motion” strobe light which fires with the spark plug and “freezes” the crankshaft timing mark for observation), or mechanical setup (static timing). Your ignition timing changes as you drive. The number of degrees BEFORE TOP DEAD CENTER (BTDC) is called the ADVANCE. This is done mechanically (centrifugal advance), or by vacuum (vacuum advance), or by a combination of these. Whatever the setup, advance increases with engine RPM and decreases as the engine goes under a load.

Pinging or spark knock is properly called “pre-ignition” and is often incorrectly called “valve noise” because it sounds very similar to loose valves that need adjusting. The difference is that loose valves will make a noise all the time, whereas pre-ignition happens on acceleration or under a -ignition can be caused by too much spark advance or from too low octane gas. If your car does this from time to time, you may not need to do anything. you might use a higher grade of gas, but that does cost a lot of money! I tell people to just not let their car do it: either get on the gas or get off the gas and the “ping” will go away.

Auto glass is very integral to your vehicle and it has many functions like for safety of passenger from accident. Auto glass is more essential for safety. It also has other facilities like not allowing dust, smoke and sunlight inside.

You can find different types of auto glass and you can go according to your budget and preference. Many glasses has plastic film which prevent the glass from shattering and causing injury from smoke, ultraviolet sun raise and high frequency sound especially at traffic places.

When you replace your auto glass that time make sure that windshield is perfectly centered the glass should look as the part of vehicle. Now a days repairing auto glass usually take less then 30 minutes. As most windshield are now available laminated with multiple layer which make glass more safety form getting damaged which help the technician to remove the air in the damaged area and replace it.

Auto glass is an important structural component of a vehicle so one should always try to get the high quality glass product for their vehicles. In fact, any damage to your windshield or windows should receive careful attention, as even a tiny, seemingly harmless crack can quickly grow and escalate into a dangerous, shattered mess.

Take care, for larger cracks might result in more expensive repair work or complete replacement of a windshield. Since many insurance policies do not cover auto glass replacement, it is advisable to rectify the problem at the beginning. Repair damaged auto glass in time, as you may actually save a considerable amount of time, money, and frustration by seeking immediate attention.

Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well. Currently writing for this website Entertainment Coupon Book . For more details please contact at annajosephs@

You are living in New York and you want to experience all the comforts and luxuries of traveling, all you need to do is get the best New York limousine service available around and be hip and trendy with your exclusive ride. Experience the finest among the bunch and be treated like a VIP guaranteeing not only pleasure while traveling but your security as well.

Whether you are on your way for a business meeting with your colleagues and clients, in a hurry to the airport for your flight abroad, about to attend special occasions like proms, anniversaries and birthday parties, or simply about to have a night out along with your friends, an exclusive limousine ride will definitely do all the traveling job for you. Rest assured, you are safely accommodated to your destination at all times without worrying about any hassle or delay that you might encounter along the way.

Sometimes, maybe because of how luxurious limos look like, many people have the perception that renting a limousine in New York is very costly and needs high budgeting. Without them knowing, limo services in reality are more affordable to render compared to hitting the road with a taxi. Take note, a variety of limo services offer free estimates that?s why you are allowed to freely choose the type of ride you want which best suites your budget. This also prevents you from spending too much.

In addition to this, there are several types of limo cars which are also available so that you can choose the kind of ride you want for yourself or your friends. You can either get a stretch limo, an SUV, or a party limo depending on the occasion you will be attending and besides this consider the number of people you will be bringing along. Just select the ride which you think as the most appropriate for your likings and comfort.

Also, with the different commitments that people get their selves into, a comfortable ride will surely give all the comfort they need while traveling. Getting yourself one of NY luxury limousine certainly makes your trip more relaxing and fun giving you the freedom to give yourself a drink with the cocktails that are also set up within the ride. You don?t have to worry about getting lost with those confusing directions, your private chauffer will handle all the driving work for you.

Now, if your considering to get one, never hesitate to try New York limousine rentals to make the most out of your money just remember to make a wise choice in availing your exclusive limo ride. Take into consideration that not all limousine services have the same price range so do initial checking and ask the specification of the service that they offer to you. Pick the most excellent limo service within your reach and indulge the luxuries of your ride.

Opening yourself to NY limo rental is a plus that you can get to satisfy your every transportation needs. Taking a tour in New York with a fabulous ride at your back will surely get people?s attention. So why don?t you get one, be a head turner and give yourself the best ride you can get nowhere else.

Auto dent repair is the method of removing vehicle dents, which happen due to collisions. It can be done on all types of autos. The time taken for the whole process depends on the size and position of the dent and the technician’s ability. It also depends on the magnitude of dent.

Normally, two types of auto dent repairs are in evident.

? Paint refurbishment repair and

? PDR (Paintless Dent Repair).

Paint refurbishment repair – is well suited for the larger dent and the method involves a variety of processes such as pulling or hammering out dents, grinding, chiseling, and sanding. Technicians make use of a variety of tools; pullers, dent hammers, drills, fender picks, and rivets depending on the type of dent.

If the dent is too large or cannot be repaired, the whole panel or section of vehicle is removed. In such cases, pulling or pounding out is done before the panel or section is removed, and the new portion is attached by welding. Once the above process is over, the repaired area is primed for further painting.

Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) – is generally used for smaller or minor dents, dinks. Dents are removed with the help of specialized tools, the paint or the original factory finish of the dent section remains as such and the cost involved in painting is eliminated.

PDR ? The right treatment for your car!

Nowadays you see cars around in need of desperate attention and due to the credit crunch; no one wants to take the risk of cashing out for replacements. However, there is an easier way. Repairs are so much easier, faster and more affordable than replacements; it?s the perfect option for you and your car.